Car bombs kill 22 in Syria's Idlib

Two car bombs killed at least 22 civilians in the Syrian city of Idlib on Wednesday, the official SANA news agency reported. "The first explosion took place in Al-Ziraa Square and the second explosion took place in Al-Mutlaq Square, killing 22 civilians and wounding 30," the news agency reported, blaming "terrorists" for the blasts. Idlib city remains under the control of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad but most of the rest of the northwestern province on the border with Turkey is in the hands of rebels fighting to oust him. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave a higher toll of 24 dead and said most were soldiers. It said there were three bombs in all and that many of the wounded were in critical condition. "At least 24 people, most of them regime forces, were killed when three suicide car bombs targeted military vehicles near the political security branch close to Al-Mutlaq roundabout," the Britain-based watchdog said. "After taking the airbase at Taftanaz (on January 11), the city of Idlib has become the rebels' new target," Observatory directory Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP by telephone.